Denver Nuggets vs Golden State Warriors Prediction & Betting Tips - NBA

Prediction published on 24/12/2023, 12:00  by Devesh Jaganath | Modified on 24/12/2023 at 12:00 in NBA Predictions

The NBA Champions of the past two seasons will clash on Christmas Day when the Denver Nuggets play the Golden State Warriors at Ball Arena. The hosts are 21-10 and second in the Western Conference, while the visitors are 15-14 and in tenth place. 

Both these sides are hot right now. The Golden State Warriors are currently on a five-game winning streak, following wins over the Nets, Celtics, Wizards, and Trail Blazers. Klay Thompson led the team with 28 points in their most recent 126-106 victory against the Blazers on Saturday. The Warriors are ninth in offensive ranking and have a defensive ranking of 20th in the NBA. They score an average of 117.2 points per game while allowing 115.8. Golden State outscore opponents by 1.4 points per game and lead the league in rebounding with 47.7 per game. In their last 10 games, they have averaged 121.6 points per game, 5.8 more than their average this season. Andrew Wiggins, Gary Payton II, and Draymond Green will be unavailable for the upcoming game.

Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets are on a four-game winning streak, defeating the Mavericks, Raptors, Nets, and Hornets. Michael Porter Jr. contributed 22 points on their way to a 102-95 victory over Charlotte last time out. The Nuggets are currently outscoring opponents by 5.0 points, averaging 115.0 points per game, ranking 14th in the league. Their home performance is notably better, scoring 121.0 points per game compared to 110.6 on the road. A key strength lies in their defense, that are allowing only 110.0 points per outing, ranking fourth in the NBA. The Nuggets have won the last four matches against the Golden State Warriors and are 5.5-point favorites in this one. The only injury absentee for Denver is Vlatko Cancar.